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Q: Meds Without These Side Effects?
dear dr phelps, i've been on several different meds over the last 8
months.i;ve been taking zoloft from my family doctor for 10 years. i've been
seeing a psych doctor these 8 months because the zoloft stopped working, and had
never been givin a dx until just three weeks ago. i feel sick from this new rx
lithium, but i'm so
tired of changing rx's, i called my pdoc twice this week but she hasn't returned
my calls-1st she took me off zoloft 200mg and gave me prozac well i went manic
and destroyed my marriage-then serzone-migraines, paxil-panic, wellbutrin-nausa&vomiting, topamax-hives-vomiting-gastroenterities
and 1 week in hospital then depakote = 3/4 my hair all fell out alopecia they
called it, well doctor my ? is now i've been givin zoloft ativan-prn and lithium
for last 2 weeks i feel sick yes i had my blood work done it was ok but i have
constant headache -sleepy all the time and
gained 8lbs this week i'm fat bald and very depressed and this lithium makes me
feel angry all the time. so maybe my dr didn't call me back because why? what
kinda rx can be used for bipolar that doesn't cause hair loss stomach upset and
weight gain?
Dear Paula --
Unfortunately, your experience is so common you wouldn't believe it. I
routinely see patients who've had 3 or more antidepressants and are now being
thought to possibly have bipolar disorder, and so the doc' has tried a mood
stabilizer or two, usually lithium and Depakote. And you're getting the
common side effects from each. So, it's hard to get too hopeful about what
might come next after all that. But, believe it or not, you're actually
right in the middle of the pack in terms of the likelihood that the next mood
stabilizer you try will help and not cause too much trouble (maybe not any, if
you get luckier than you've been so far). Read about the "new
options" in the treatment section of my site. And you might need
to read the "hope"
essay, while you're at it. Good luck, I hope things go better (and
remember, no mood stabilizer has had a full and fair trial if you're still on an
antidepressant while you're taking it...) Dr. Phelps
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